Soulless
by ckret2
Summary: Raven's mirror and emotions are destroyed, leaving her an empty shell. Neither happy nor sad, angry nor amused, she is soulless. Only Beast Boy can bring her emotions back. Very slight BBR.
1. Crushed Mirror

'Allo? Anyone readin' this? Yes? Good.  
  
Okay, this is a freaky freak . . . thing . . . that I came up with. It's kinda, repeat, KINDA a Beastboy/Raven, but kinda not. Let's just say it is. Y'know, since the genre is romance. If you don't like Beastboy/Raven fics, pretend this isn't one. You'll be happy. And there's no kissy or anything anyway. ^-^  
  
Let's pretend that, for the fic's sake, that Raven's magic mirror thingie doesn't teleport you into her mind, but actually contains her emotions. So, if it were, say, DESTROYED, she wouldn't have anymore emotions. Do you understand what I'm sayin'? You DO?!? Great, explain it to me! XD  
  
BTW, did anyone notice that Raven spelled backwards is Nevar? That's like never with an A! And never is part of the word Nevermore! I thing I finally understand Edgar Allen Poe's mind. Heh, cool.  
  
And so . . . the fic!  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own them. Nope. However, I DO own your soul! : ] Heheheheh . . . HAW HAW HAW!  
  
||(~*~)||  
  
Soulless  
  
Raven dodged another fireball. It hit the wall behind her and exploded. The explosion singed the back of her cape. "Stupid . . . THING!" she yelled, lifting a nearby lightpost and throwing it at the monster.  
  
Yep. Another monster was in town. Destroying anything and everything in its path. It shot fireballs out of its mouth that exploded when it hit things. Original, eh? Well, IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE PLOT, so get used to the cliché- ness of it.  
  
Starfire threw a ball of that green energy stuff at the monster, driving it back into the lake around Titan Tower. It roared, and sent a huge fireball flying towards Starfire, who flew out of the way just in time.  
  
"You okay Star?" Robin asked. Starfire nodded.  
  
Raven uprooted a couple of trees and threw them at the monster. She ignored her teammates. They weren't doing much to help. They were just trying to keep from getting hit. Raven would have to fight this battle.  
  
The monster started powering up a huge fireball in its mouth. Thinking fast, Raven telekinetically raised a wave of water and slammed it into the monster's face, dousing the flame, but also pushing the monster back into Titan Tower. As it fell down onto the tower, Raven suppressed a gasp as she realized what she'd done. She felt her insides shatter as the monster crushed the sixth story. Her room was on that floor.  
  
"My mirror!" Raven cried in anguish, before she fainted.  
  
||(~*~)||  
  
Pitifully short, huh? Well, this is just the intro. The thingie before the show starts! Yeah! Oh, whatever. It's the prologue, okay?  
  
Expect the next chapter out later today! It's Labor Day, and I finished all my homework Sunday! I have lotsa time to type! *Cringes as all the Invader Zim fans tell me to work on Crossover 1* Um, yeah . . . I'll get to my other fics sometime . . . Heheh . . . 


	2. Animal Instincts

Hello. I is back. Wee-hoo! Break it down! Yeah!! Yayness!! Weeeeeeeeee-- what? Oh, right, the fic.  
  
If Raven seems OOC, lemme just say one word: DUH! She lost her emotions and stuff, right? I'd act kinda weird myself if a fireball-spitting monster had crushed my personality.  
  
And, I'm wondering if I should make this a no romance fic, or a romance. I've never written a romance before, but I've plotted a few out in my mind. Shouldn't be too hard, right? Okay, then. So, tell me if you want a romance or not.  
  
To the people who said they sent the email to make this section: Eh, I guess that we all sent an email! ^-^  
  
Disclaimer: Never did own the show. Wish I did. If I did, this wouldn't be a fic. It'd be the next episode! : P  
  
||( -*- )||  
  
Soulless  
  
"Man, how do we fight this thing?" Cyborg said, frustrated. "It's too big!"  
  
"I've got an idea!" Beast Boy said. He transformed into a t-rex and stomped over to the monster. After a few moments, it had been defeated. Yeah, yeah, not much action, but the monster isn't the plot of the story, is it? Nook, it's not.  
  
The other Titans cheered as Beast Boy transformed into his real self. "Good job, Beast Boy," Robin said."Now, is anyone missing?"  
  
There were a few moments of silence as they realized Raven was missing. "Oh boy," Robin said. "Let's split up and look for Raven, then."  
  
***  
  
Raven woke up in a Dumpster. Sitting up, she looked around to find herself in an empty alleyway. 'What am I doing in a Dumpster?' she wondered.  
  
Getting out of the Dumpster, she walked to the street connected to the alley. There were no people, but a lot of destroyed buildings. For a moment she wondered what had destroyed the buildings, before she remembered the monster. "That's right," she said out loud. "It crushed Titan Tower. I wonder if the others are okay."  
  
Raven walked slowly down the street, looking for the other Teen Titans. She was part of the team, after all, and she had to make sure they were all right.  
  
After awhile, she heard Starfire calling her name. She looked up, and saw Starfire flying above the streets. Raven waved to her. "Starfire!"  
  
"Raven!" Starfire exclaimed, floating down to meet the other girl. "Oh, Raven, I am so glad you are all right! We were so worried about you!"  
  
'Worried?' Raven thought. 'Glad? What do those mean again?' She couldn't quite remember.  
  
"I see you're not hurt," Raven said. "How are the others?"  
  
"Oh, they are fine," Starfire said, grinning, before squinting at Raven. "Raven, I think there is something wrong with you."  
  
"Wrong?" Raven asked, and she looked down at herself. No blood or other damage. She looked back at Starfire. "What's wrong?"  
  
"It's in your eyes," Starfire said, a strange flash in her own eyes. "You look, well, as if you've lost your soul!"  
  
Comprehension filled Raven. She knew knew what Starfire was talking about now. "Yes, I think you might be right."  
  
"What?" Starfire asked, the same flash in her eyes again. "What do you mean, Raven?"  
  
"When the monster fell on Titan Tower, I think it crushed my mirror. It contains my emotions. But I feel fine. I'm okay."  
  
A different look in Starfire's eyes now. She gasped. "Oh, Raven, I'm so sorry!"  
  
"There's nothing to be sorry about," Raven said. "It's not your fault, and I'm in no pain."  
  
Starfire grabbed Raven's arm. "Come, Raven, we must Robin about this!"  
  
***  
  
Beast Boy, Robin, and Cyborg were together, looking for Raven, when Starfire flew up to them, holding Raven's wrist. Relief flooded through Beast Boy, until he saw the distressed look on Starfire's face.  
  
"You found Raven?" Robin said, relieved.  
  
Starfire nodded, but said, "I think there is something wrong with her! How long will it take for the Titan Tower to be rebuilt?"  
  
"Uh, about three hours," Robin said. "There's a computer in the basement that'll rebuild it. Why? Is there something wrong?"  
  
Starfire nodded, while Raven shook her head. "No, nothing's wrong," Raven said in a monotone voice. "I'm not hurt. I'm fine."  
  
Beast Boy stared at Raven. "I think you're right, Starfire," Beast Boy said. He got close to Raven and looked at her. She stared back with lifeless eyes. "I think she's a zombie!"  
  
Starfire looked at the others, distressed. "No, that's not it. Um, Raven, could you explain what you told me?"  
  
Raven nodded. "When we were fighting the monster, it fell on Titan Tower. When it did, it crushed my mirror."  
  
"That's it!" Cyborg said, seeming pleased with himself. "She's in shock 'cause her spooky mirror was crushed! We just need to pour some water over her head and she'll be okay!"  
  
Raven shook her head. "I don't care for the mirror. And I'm not in shock. My emotions were destroyed when Titan Tower was knocked down."  
  
"Oh," Cyborg said dully. "I see."  
  
Robin looked from Cyborg's face to Raven's in confusion. "Would someone tell me what we're talking about? Please?"  
  
"Raven has this weird mirror that has her emotions and stuff inside it," Beast Boy explained. "It's a portal into her mind. Man, the pink person really freaked me out!" Cyborg nodded in agreement.  
  
Raven looked at her teammates with dull eyes. "I don't see a reason for us to stay here," she said. "So let's go get something to eat." She walked off in the direction of a nearby pizza shop. The others stared at her, wondering how she could remain so calm in the middle of a crisis, but they eventually followed her. She didn't seem to be aware there ever was a crisis.  
  
"I do not understand," Starfire said. "I thought that if one lost their emotions, they could not think?"  
  
"She's running on instincts," Beast Boy said. The others turned to look at him. "Animals don't have emotions, they only have instincts. Mainly, to survive and to eat."  
  
"How'd you know that?" Cyborg said. "Man, did you get smart when I wasn't looking or something?"  
  
Beast Boy shrugged. "Hey, I can become any animal I want, right? I think that I'd know at least a little about how their minds work."  
  
By the time they got to the pizza restaurant, Raven had already ordered herself a pizza and was eating it.  
  
"Hey!" Cyborg said. "Why'd you get a pizza before us?"  
  
"To eat," Raven said plainly. "You can't survive unless you eat."  
  
"Well, what if none of us like eating whatever your favorite pizza is?"  
  
"What is the difference from one pizza to another?" Raven said. "It's all food. And once you've eaten it, you can't taste it. Eat the pizza if you're hungry."  
  
Cyborg grunted and sat down. He took a bite of pizza.  
  
"Hey!" he said angrily. "This is vegetable pizza!"  
  
Raven shrugged. "Beast Boy can't eat a pizza with meat, so I got one without meat. None of you can eat a pizza with veggies, so there's no problem."  
  
Beast Boy grinned. "Hey, guys, didya hear that? Raven got me a pizza!"  
  
"It's everyone's pizza," Raven pointed out, finishing her slice.  
  
Beast Boy studied Raven as he sat down. She was just . . . lifeless. There really was something wrong with her.  
  
Someone would have to help her.  
  
||( * )||  
  
Well, there was Chapter 2. Hope it didn't stink to high heaven. ^.^;; This was basically just showing how Raven acts without emotions. As Beast Boy so kindly pointed out to us, she can still think and stuff. She's using her animal instincts now. Think, a human with the emotions of a rock. Yep. You've got Raven's current predicament. 


	3. I Must Be Sad

Howdy, y'all! I'm back, w/ chapter 3! Now, to answer some questions I've received through review;  
  
Priestess: So, you don't like my Raven-Nevar-Never theory. Well, fine, don't believe. *Insert hiss-y voice* None of them believe, but, I will prove them wrong, yes yes, I am right, yesssssssssssssss, heh heh, I will prove them ALL wrong, yeeessssssss . . .  
  
Oboebyrd: D'you mean authorial intrusions as in funny author notes, or authorial intrusions as in a self-insert fic? Well, I'm afraid that from time to time I'll get this unstoppable urge to make a funny author note, but I will not make this a self-insert fic. I've already got one of those going for another show. : P  
  
Dark Lady1: Glad you like my funny narrations. Yes. They is funny. Yeah.  
  
Kraven the Hunter: She never has been too open, has she? But, she's always shown some emotion before. Depression, annoyance, and anger mostly. Now, she doesn't even have those emotions.  
  
Anegel Trinton: Yes, Nevermore did rock. Yes, pink Raven is scary. And, I've seen a few Raven/Beast Boy fics before . . . most of 'em stank . . . There are some good ones, though. ^-^  
  
jasikaermine: Woah, interestin' name . . . Glad your wish came true! And niiiice squinty-eyes!! ^-^ Yep, you're Raven. Mmyep.  
  
Shinigami: Glad you like the fic! : P  
  
Jessie Weasley: Glad ya think it's cool. And, I WILL write more, and I AM writing more! :D  
  
Genesis: Glad you like. And, you can now see soulless Raven, AT A THEATRE NEAR YOU!! XD Y'know, I saw a commercial for a movie, and it said that at the end of the commercial, but I had to drive thirty miles to find a theatre where it was showing. X-x Near me indeed!  
  
SD Titan: Can and will write more! Yup.  
  
FoxGirl: Will add romance.  
  
yuki san1: Yes. Yes, it is a Raven+Beast Boy. And I'm glad you like the plot! ^-^  
  
crystal-chan: Yeah, poor Raven. But, do not pity her! For she is in no pain! XD Um . . . Why was that funny?  
  
Everyone else: I'll update!!  
  
Thank you all for reviews!  
  
Disclaimer: Guess. Just, guess. Please. I won't hurt you. Just take a wild guess. Do I own the show or not?  
  
No. No, I don't.  
  
Now, Chapter 3! Go forth, and conquerrrrr!  
  
Disclaimer 2: I don't own "Go forth, and conquerrrrrr!" If you can guess where it came from, you get a prize.  
  
||( * )||  
  
"How did that make you feel? Angry? Shocked?"  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"What did I do to your feelings?"  
  
"You did it to my hand."  
  
~A.I. Artificial Intelligence ***  
  
"Finally!" Beast Boy cried, running through Titan Tower's front door. "The stupid house is rebuilt!"  
  
Starfire gave a small cheer, and ran inside. "This calls for a celebration involving unhealthy, tasty snacks!"  
  
"We just ate," Raven said, walking past the others.  
  
"Hey! Where're you goin'?" Cyborg said. "You could at least celebrate with us a little."  
  
"Yeah, you must be at least a little happy that Titan Tower's okay," Robin said. Beast Boy snorted.  
  
Raven turned around to look at the others. "I'm not happy," she said. "I don't have any emotions anymore."  
  
"Oh," Robin said. "Right, right."  
  
"What exactly does 'happy' mean again?" Raven asked. The others stared at her.  
  
"Well, it is joy and cheerfulness and fun . . ." Starfire said, listing many, many things that mean "happy."  
  
"So, what does joy mean? And cheerfulness? Fun?" Raven asked. "I can't remember."  
  
"Um, well . . ." Beast Boy tried to come up with a definition. "Happy is when you're . . . smiling . . . and, you feel good, I guess, because something good has happened . . . Heck, how do you describe happy?"  
  
" . . . And glad and healthy and nice . . ."  
  
"Healthy?" Raven asked, turning to look at Starfire. Starfire stopped her trail of words to nod. "I can understand healthy. It means that you're not in pain. I'm in no pain. So, I'm happy."  
  
"Not exactly," Beast Boy said. "I think happy means that you're in no mental pain."  
  
"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up," Cyborg said.  
  
Raven looked Beast Boy in the eye. It creeped him out. "So, what's mental pain?"  
  
"Um . . . sadness?"  
  
"What's sadness?"  
  
"Raven," Cyborg said. "Why don't you go watch a movie or something?"  
  
"Fine," Raven said. She walked into the living room and started flipping through their collection of DVDs. Hey, here's a question; if Titan Tower is ten stories tall, then how come the kitchen and living room are in the same room? I mean, there's a little room to spread out. Even if there was one floor dedicated to each of the Titans, there'd still be five floors left over!  
  
"What should I watch?" Raven asked. She obviously didn't care about the living room/kitchen issue. Why don't she CARE? Oh. Right.  
  
"I dunno," Beast Boy said. "Something funny."  
  
"No way," Cyborg said. "You chose last time. I choose now!"  
  
"What do you choose, Cy?" Raven asked, turning to look at him with dead eyes. Cyborg shivered. Beast Boy understood why. Her eyes were just creepy.  
  
"You cold, Cy?" Raven asked, noticing the shiver. "Need a blanket or something?" She couldn't understand Cyborg's emotion. The fear.  
  
"No, no, let's watch . . . A.I.! I love that movie!" Cy grinned. Beast Boy, Robin, and Starfire groaned.  
  
"We've seen that a hundred times this week! I'm tired of it," Beast Boy complained.  
  
"We haven't seen it a hundred times, we've only seen it, uh . . ." Cyborg did some quick math. "67 times! That's not even three-fourths to a hundred!"  
  
"Whatever!" Beast Boy said. "I ain't watchin'! I'm goin' to my room. Anyone else here that doesn't want to watch this drivel?"  
  
Raven stood up. "Movies are a waste of time," she said. "I'm going to the gym to work out."  
  
"Why?" Beast Boy said. "Neither of us is watching the movie, we could play a video game or something."  
  
"Video games won't prepare us for bad guys." Raven said. "Strengthening our bodies will." And she left.  
  
~*~  
  
It was dinner. Raven hadn't come down yet.  
  
Beast Boy looked up the stairs, worried. Finally, he said, "I'm going to go check on Raven."  
  
Pushing his seat back, he stood up.  
  
"Forget about her!" Cyborg said. "Her 'instincts' might tell her to chop you up or something. She's creepy now."  
  
"Was she not creepy to start off with?" Starfire asked innocently.  
  
"Guys, cut it out, Raven's our friend," Robin said. "It's not her fault she's like this."  
  
The others started arguing about whether Raven was creepy or not, and Beast Boy just sighed.  
  
He trudged up the stairs reluctantly. He was with Cy. Raven creeped him out too.  
  
"Hey, Raven?" He asked when he finally stepped into the room. She was staring intently at a barbell.  
  
Beast Boy watched her stare, wondering if she had snapped or something. "Raven? Something wrong?"  
  
Raven looked up at Beast Boy. "I can't move it," she said simply.  
  
"Well, duh," Beast Boy said. "You're standing five feet away from it! You have to pick it up, like this," Beast Boy grabbed the barbell and started pulling. After straining his muscles for a few minutes, he let go and smiled sheepishly. "Okay, okay, I can't move it either."  
  
Raven shook her head. "No, I mean with my mind."  
  
Beast Boy slowly looked from Raven, who was staring again, to the barbell.  
  
"Can't you say your spooky magic words?" Beast Boy asked.  
  
Raven closed her eyes. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She opened her eyes and shook her head. "Nothing."  
  
Beast Boy blinked. "Nothing?"  
  
"My powers were connected to my emotions," Raven said. "I just didn't know they were so attached that they wouldn't work without them."  
  
A cold lump formed in Beast Boy's stomach. Couldn't fight. Raven couldn't fight. She was disabled.  
  
"If your happy, you're in no mental pain," Raven said in that horrible dulled voice. "My mental powers aren't working. So, am I . . . sad?"  
  
For a moment, Beast Boy thought he heard confusion. But then it was gone.  
  
||( * )||  
  
Aaaaaand that's chappy three! Sorry it took so long. I had to work on my Invader Zim fanfics. I'm in the middle of two and writing out one on paper right now . . . 6.9 Dizzyyyyyyyyy . . . But I like writing this. I'll try to update a lil' faster.  
  
~ckret2 


	4. Thermostats

Hi everyone! In honor of season 2's premier episode tonight, I decided to set my other fics aside and update Soulless! So, first some thank-you's for chapter 3 reviewers;  
  
A.N.D: Yes, Beast Boy is a short t-rex in the battle with Jynx, but tall in my fic. Maybe he isn't really a t-rex in the battle you mentioned, maybe he was some other dinosaur that was like a mini-rex. I heard one of the most dangerous dinos wasn't very tall, but looked kinda like a t-rex. Hmm. Anywho, Beast Boy's t-rex form is tall in my fic!  
  
RavenGhost: Okay, I'll update!  
  
RavenFireI: Yeah, poor Raven. I'm sorry about the length of the chapters, I'm just not very good at long ones. But I'll try to update more frequently to make up for that. I'm currently in the middle of an updating-frenzy, and I hope I can keep it until all my current fics are done.  
  
Anegel Trinton: I'm sorry your life stinks right now. I hope this next chapter helps fix that! :D  
  
rhum: Glad you like it. Interestin' name.  
  
Soon to b world renown Gracie: Wow. That review was... exciting. Yes, BBR doeth rock, doeth it not? Good luck on your sugar hunt! Try not to hurt the old ladies too much!  
  
you know who I am: That was a kinda confusing compliment. Anywho, to guess whom you are... L.I. Member Mars? :)  
  
kailyssa: Thank you.  
  
angel spirit: I know, I'm always too lazy to login on ff.net too. And it's okay that you're on the "friendship" side of BBR relationships. If or when I put any real BBR in this fic, it's going to be pretty short and G-rated. But not TOO short, all you BBR fanatics! So, it all balances out.  
  
RogueDragon5: I'm glad you like this fic so much. I'll only put in a little romance. Don't worry, it won't get super-gushy. But *gaspgasp* how could you NOT like Invader Zim?!? Ah well. Your loss.  
  
Jillian4: Thank you for your reviews. Even though you reviewed my just to inform me of stuff and you didn't even read my fic, you increased my review count, making my fic look more popular. Thank you very much.  
  
Okay! So, it's time for chapter 4!!  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing but this fic. Nothing else. I don't even own my soul... that would be the property of my alter ego...  
  
Ayzemin, my alter ego: Muahahaha!  
  
||( * )||  
  
"Guys?" Beast Boy said, standing in front of Cyborg, Starfire, and Robin. "I think we have a problem." They didn't listen. They were still debating whether Raven was creepy or not.  
  
"Guys?" No response.  
  
"I don't think they're listening," Raven said, standing beside Beast Boy. They listened to the debate a few minutes.  
  
"What does 'creepy' mean?" Raven asked the group, who finally noticed her. All three looked at her and shivered. Raven noticed. "Should I turn up the thermostat?"  
  
"Guys, we have a problem," Beast Boy said. "Raven can't use her powers!"  
  
"WHAT?" Cyborg said, standing up. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?!"  
  
"He tried," Raven said. Cyborg shuddered again. "I'm going to turn the thermostat up!" she said loudly, and walked off. She almost sounded annoyed. Almost, almost. But not quite. Not enough to lose that numb look on her face.  
  
"So, why can't she use them?" Robin asked, always one to get down to business.  
  
"They're tied to her emotions or something. Y'know how when she gets upset, she loses control of her powers? This is like, reverse, or something."  
  
"This is not good at all," Starfire said. "If she cannot fight, then what do we do when we need her?"  
  
"Maybe..." Robin started, then stopped and cleared his throat. "Maybe there's nothing we can do for her. I took a look at her mirror earlier. It's broken but good. There's no way it can be fixed. Maybe we need to send her somewhere there are people who can take care of her?"  
  
"No!" Beast Boy protested, shocked. "No way! This is Raven we're talking about! We can't just send her off like that! She's our friend."  
  
"I'm not saying we will, I'm just saying maybe," Robin said, then quickly added, "for her own good."  
  
Beast Boy looked at his feet. What Robin was saying made sense. They couldn't keep watching after Raven in this condition. She couldn't defend herself. What if she got caught in the middle of a fight? She'd be killed easily! Maybe it would be for the best...  
  
"No!" Beast Boy said forecefully. "We can't! I won't let you! There's got to be some way we can help her!"  
  
Robin shook his head. "What? Tell me how to help her. Go ahead."  
  
"I..." Beast Boy trailed off. He honestly had no clue. He sighed in resignation. "One week. Give me one week to help her. Then you can do whatever you want."  
  
Robin thought it over, and finally said, "Okay."  
  
***  
  
Beast Boy sat on his bed, a lamp the only thing lighting the room. It was almost midnight. He had been sitting there for five hours. How could he help Raven? He needed ideas.  
  
"Think, BB, think," he commanded himself, then sighed and turned out the lamp. He needed sleep.  
  
It would be a long night.  
  
||( * )||  
  
I know, this chapter is short too, but I want maybe to try to update it again tomorrow, so it'll be kinda like one long chapter instead of two short ones. Alright? I always hate myself for these short chapters, but I just reach this certain part and I feel like if I write any more on that one chapter, I'd start rambling. Ah well. 'Nother update tomorrow! I promise!!  
  
~ckret2 


	5. Reverse a Curse Broken

Hi! This is the next chapter of Soulless. I'll make this author's note short and get down to business.  
  
Thank you time!  
  
randomfan, MistressDarkness, and Mily: Thank you for the reviews! Glad you like the fic!  
  
. . .: Well, Robin can take all the bad guys down most of the time, but there are probably some cases where he simply can't. It's been proven that he's powerful, but if he didn't need help there wouldn't be the Teen Titans. Just the Teen Titan. And as to why Raven can't learn to fight without her powers: I suppose she could, but to learn to fight well enough to make up for her missing super-powers would take years and years. And if there are bad guys running around all the time, she doesn't have time to learn. She'd be dead before she's half as powerful as she used to be. Does that answer your questions?  
  
As a final note, I forgot the name of that time travel guy in How Long Is Forever, but I'm 50% sure his name's Warp. If I'm wrong, feel free to correct me.  
  
Disclaimer: *sigh* Do we really have to go over this again? Okay, fine. I don't own Teen Titans, and I don't own Japanese. Teen Titans is property of whatever, and Japanese belongs to the Japanese. In Japan.  
  
No offense to people who speak Japanese. Later on I have some things written in Japanese. I used an Internet English-to-Japanese translator for these things. I was going to use Latin, so that I wouldn't offend any people of Latin origins (because there aren't any people of Latin origins anymore), but they didn't have the word "mirror" which I need, and I'm a dedicated manga/anime fan, so I used Japanese. Sorry if you're annoyed at that.  
  
||( * )||  
  
Beast Boy woke and jumped up. He had an idea! He knew how to help Raven!  
  
'It's so obvious!' he thought, pulling on his clothes. 'Why didn't I do this six hours ago?!'  
  
He ran to Raven's room and knocked on the door. "Hey Rave, can I come in? I need to look at some of your books."  
  
There was a grunt from inside the room, some shuffles, and Raven opened the door, her lids half-closed. "Why right now?" she asked. "It's two in the morning. We should be asleep right now."  
  
Beast Boy looked at his feet. "Um, I guess I got kind of excited..."  
  
"Go ahead," Raven said, opening the door wider. "I'm awake now. But why do you need my books?"  
  
"I think there might be something in one of them to help you!" Beast Boy said. "All your hocus-pocus stuff might have something about your mirror."  
  
"I told you, I don't need help," Raven said as Beast Boy eagerly ran to one of her bookshelves. "I'm perfectly fine the way I am. I'm happy."  
  
Beast Boy dropped the book he'd been holding on his foot. "Ow! Uh, what did you say Raven?"  
  
"I'm happy."  
  
Beast Boy stared at Raven. She didn't... look happy. She looked the same way she had the day before. "You still don't know what that means, do you?"  
  
"I do," Raven said. "It means I'm in no mental pain. And since the loss of my powers isn't really a pain, but more like a disability, and I have no other signs I'm in mental pain, I must be happy. Am I right?"  
  
Beast Boy sighed. "No. You're not. Trust my, Rave, you're not happy. I know more about this stuff than you do."  
  
"Okay. So, am I sad?"  
  
Beast Boy glanced at Raven. "Okay, let's call it that. You're sad."  
  
"Fine." Raven walked up to stand behind Beast Boy. "But I think I'm okay without my emotions. In fact, I think I'm better this way."  
  
Beast Boy dropped another book. "WHAT?! How can you SAY that, Raven?!"  
  
Raven winced. "Don't speak so loud. It hurts people's ears."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"I think I'm better off this way because I don't think emotions are necessary. Mental pain is pain all the same, and if you can get mental pain from emotions, then I don't want them."  
  
"But what about the good parts of emotions?" Beast Boy asked. "Being happy, and stuff?"  
  
"I can't see what's so special about being happy."  
  
"Well... it makes you feel good."  
  
"Good? You cannot 'feel' good. You are either in pain or not." Raven gestured to Beast Boy's foot. "And emotions caused you to drop that book, did they not? Which emotion made you do that, anyway?"  
  
"Shock."  
  
"Like being electrified?"  
  
"Yes, but being shocked is kind of like a... mental pain."  
  
"An electric-feeling mental pain..."  
  
"Right."  
  
They were silent for awhile, as Beast Boy either added books to a stack by his feet or chucked them over his shoulder, depending on how useful they looked. "Being happy is more than not being in pain. It's like..." Beast Boy mulled over the thought. How do you explain something like happiness to someone who has no sense of pleasure? Only pain and neutrality? "Happiness is when you are in no pain at all. Not hunger or injury or itching or illness or anything like that."  
  
"But, that's what I'm like right now," Raven said.  
  
"Yeah but... you're tired, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"So, you can't be happy because you're tired. And your eyes probably itch a little, and your feet feel a little pressure on them from standing that might be a little uncomfortable, it's a little bit warm in here..."  
  
Raven nodded. "I think I understand. But, all those things can be fixed. I could turn the thermostat back to its original temperature, and get some sleep. Then I'd be happy?"  
  
"Well, no." Beast Boy chucked an Edgar Allen Poe book over his shoulder, and placed '18th Century Enchantments' by his feet. "The thing is, those pains are still there, you just don't feel them, and you can't feel them until you're not happy anymore."  
  
Raven nodded. "Now that I understand, I think happiness is... good." Beast Boy smiled. "Why do you do that thing with your mouth? Where it stretches and turns upward?"  
  
"It means I'm happy."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Beast Boy picked up a book titled 'Burakkumajikku Tekagami Shoji Zenrei'  
  
"Hey Rave," Beast Boy said. "What's this mean?"  
  
Raven glanced at the cover "'Black-Magic Hand-Mirror Owning One's Whole Soul'." Raven translated. "It's in Japanese."  
  
Beast Boy gaped at Raven. "You know Japanese?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Beast Boy stared at Raven blankly a few seconds, then shrugged it off. "Well, I have a funny feeling that this is just the book we're looking for."  
  
"What's a 'funny' feeling?"  
  
"Um... It's a version of intuition." Beast Boy thunked the book down on a small table. "Now, let's read this!"  
  
***  
  
"Sakasama noroi buro-kun, sakugen habamu, jisan bachiatari tekagami tashou," Raven chanted. It was nearly four in the morning. Beast Boy was just barely awake. He looked at Raven, waiting for her to translate this line. "I should've stayed in bed," he muttered. Raven ignored him. He'd told her to ignore him when he muttered like that.  
  
Raven cleared her throat. "Reverse a curse broken, go back to the beginning to prevent, by bringing the accursed mirror into future existence."  
  
Beast Boy let that thought roll around his head, until something connected. He sat up. "A broken curse? Like, the broken mirror?"  
  
Raven looked at Beast Boy. "Yes. This book calls the mirror a curse in some places."  
  
"So," Beast Boy stood up, "so, we have to bring the mirror back from the past, 'into future existence'! Then it'll never have been broken and you'll be okay! I get it. It's so SIMPLE!" Beast Boy started pacing. "So, how do we get into the past? I guess we'll have to time-travel. How do we do that?" Beast Boy looked at Raven, who didn't answer but was watching him with her soulless eyes. Surprisingly, Beast Boy didn't mind anymore. Maybe because he knew they wouldn't look like that much longer. He turned back to the task at hand. "Now, how are we supposed to be able to time travel? Would Cy know anything about that? No, he's to busy with his car... wait, what about that time travel dude? What was his name? Warp or something. If we can find him, we can get your mirror! YES! Okay, so, how do we find him? Starfire came back from the future by herself. But maybe she knows where he is. Or maybe he's trapped in the future? So, we'd have to wait twenty years to catch him. Dang! But, if Star changed the future so that he didn't steal that thingie, he wouldn't have read about his theft in history books and come back to steal it. Which would mean Star wouldn't get a chance to stop him so he'd come back here anyway! So he IS here! Or. is he?" Beast Boy stopped to look at Raven. "Am I making any sense?"  
  
"Yes," Raven said. "But you're talking to fast." She paused, then asked, "Are you happy right now?"  
  
"Huh?" Beast Boy was caught off guard. "Well, yeah. I guess I am. How could you tell?"  
  
"You're not tired anymore."  
  
||(-*-)||  
  
Well, that was fun. And I did it on the day I promised, too! Boo-ya!  
  
I personally think this is the best chapter so far. But, it gets good next chapter, too. The hund for Warp is on!  
  
~ckret2 


	6. Broken Concrete

Hi all! Update! I'm starting this writing program thingy on Monday that lasts for twenty weeks, which may take up a lot of my ficcing time. I'm not sure yet, I haven't started it. Anyway, just in case, I'm gonna try to update all my current fics, so you'll have something to read while I do the writing program.  
  
Now, review response:  
  
AzhureFire: Yes, I agree, animals do have emotions, but it hasn't been scientifically proven yet. Besides, I needed a reason to explain why Raven hasn't turned into a vegetable without her emotions. And as long as it hasn't been proven animals feel, it's just the excuse I need. It's a lot better than saying my "author powers of spooky-doom" keep her from being a vegetable, right? But I do think animals have emotions. My dog does!  
  
Ed: Thank you for your five reviews. I know I need to add more details. The two things I stink at most are details and suspense. Except cliffhangers, I can do those pretty good. That's why I'm taking the writing program, so that I can get better. And I think that Raven does care for other's welfare, even though she's emotionless. In the wild, wolf packs will look out for each other, right? That's basically what Raven's doing, looking out for her pack. Notice she doesn't act overly kind, though. She didn't sit with the other Titans through the movie. And, yes, Warp is a baby, but I don't know if Beast Boy knows that yet. Besides, it's also like sixty years before Warp's born if he came from a hundred years in the future, right? So, BB's gonna have a few difficulties in tracking down Warp. Don't worry, I have a way around all that. ^_^  
  
Raven A. Star: Wow. Cool dream. Hmm... I think your dream just gave me a plot idea...  
  
infuriated: Who are you and why did you review 5 of my stories the exact same way? Did you even read them?  
  
RogueDragon5, Mily, sugahigh, MistressDarkness, and randomfan: Thanks for your reviews!  
  
Thanks, all you guys! This is my most popular fic because of you all!  
  
Okay, so, now the search for Warp begins!  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. If I owned the show, Raven would be the most powerful character, Rave and BB would be going out, Robin and Starfire would be going out, Cyborg would have a girlfriend, Jynx would be a Titan, Gizmo wouldn't have that backpack with those gadgets, and Beast Boy would have a light saber. Green, of course. Of course to do THAT I'd have to own Star Wars too...  
  
||(-*-)||  
  
Starfire walked into the kitchen of their tower, wondering where everyone else was. It was already six in the morning, and no one was up! Then again, no one was EVER up at six...  
  
To her surprise, Starfire saw Beast Boy already eating breakfast: Lucky Charms with soymilk.  
  
"Why, hello there, Beast Boy! I did not think you were the kind of person to wake before four in the afternoon!" Starfire said in surprise. Then she frowned. "You should not eat that cereal. You might get hyper active."  
  
"Not likely," Beast Boy mumbled, yawning. "I need the sugar to keep me awake."  
  
"Alright then," Starfire said, grinning. "I'm going to have a zesty and nutritious beverage!"  
  
Beast Boy glanced up at Starfire with mild interest. "How can a drink be zesty?"  
  
"With this!" Starfire said, proudly pulling a bottle of ranch dressing out of the fridge. On the bottle it said, "Perfect for ZESTY SALADS!!" Beast Boy groaned as Starfire pour the contents into a cup of orange juice, then added chocolate sauce. Starfire took a sip. "Mmm, scrumptious!"  
  
Beast Boy glanced down at his meal. "Now I'm not hungry. Anybody want this?"  
  
"I'll take it," Raven said, sitting down at the table and taking Beast Boy's bowl.  
  
"Raven! You too?" Starfire exclaimed in delight. "What a wonderful surprise!"  
  
Raven turned to Beast Boy. "What's a surprise?"  
  
"If you're surprised, you're shocked. Only it doesn't hurt," Beast Boy mumbled. "Hey, are you eating that cereal with the spoon I was using?"  
  
Raven nodded.  
  
Beast Boy shuddered. "Man, girls are weird."  
  
"What does weird mean?"  
  
"Not ordinary. VERY not ordinary."  
  
"Then wouldn't we all be weird? Starfire's an alien, I'm a psychic, you're a shape shifter, Cyborg's part robot, and Robin..." Raven thought a moment. "Robin's not weird."  
  
"Right."  
  
Starfire noticed her cup was empty, so she pulled out some catsup and ice tea that had been in the fridge heaven knows how long, and put a pint of mint ice cream in the microwave to melt. "So, Beast Boy, why are you and Raven up so early this morning?"  
  
"We've been trying to solve Rave's problem since two this morning," Beast Boy mumbled. "We decided to try to look for Warp..." Beast Boy sat up straight. "Wait a second! YOU know how to find Warp, don't you?"  
  
"Well..." Starfire said. "Not really. I know he's from a hundred years in the future."  
  
Beast Boy gaped at Starfire. "A hundred years?! Oh, PERFECT! The Titans will be dead by then!"  
  
"Oh, you will be dead? I'm sorry," Starfire said. "People from my planet live for three hundred years!"  
  
Beast Boy scowled. "Lucky." He brightened. "Hey, wait a second! If we tell you now to get Warp's time travel thingie and come back here, then in a hundred years you'll come back to this very second in time because you remembered what we asked, and give us the time travel thing!" Beast Boy jumped up and grabbed Starfire's hands. "Star, remember this a hundred years from now. Bring Warp's time travel thing to this kitchen to this exact moment. Okay?"  
  
"O... kay then?" Starfire said, mystified.  
  
"Great!" Beast Boy said. "Now we get to sit back and watch the magic!"  
  
He stood still for a couple of minutes, waiting eagerly, before he sighed in frustration and turned to Starfire.  
  
"I thought I told you to remember!" he said angrily.  
  
"Remember what?"  
  
"Never mind," Beast Boy said grumpily, waving Starfire off. "I don't think you'd be able to remember ANYTHING for a hundred years."  
  
"I'd remember my friends," Starfire said, smiling blissfully.  
  
"Well, that's some comfort, I guess," Beast Boy muttered, sitting back down. "So, now what do we do?"  
  
"I think we should ask Robin for an idea," Raven said. "He usually knows what to do in situations like this."  
  
"Yeah, well, Robin's all keen on sending you away. I'm not about to turn to him for help," Beast Boy said, frustrated.  
  
"Robin wants to send me away?" Raven asked. "Why?"  
  
"Because he thinks you won't be able to take care of yourself!" Beast Boy yelled. "He thinks you'd be better off in some asylum or something!"  
  
Raven winced. "Why do you make your voice get louder like that?"  
  
"Sorry."  
  
There was a moment's silence. "I think he's wrong," Raven eventually said. "It would be better for me to stay here. If I go away, then there'd be no chance of me being able to help out anymore. And if I can't help, than someone would eventually beat you, and many, many people could get hurt. So, I have to stay here."  
  
"Yeah!" Beast Boy said, pumping his arm into the air. "Another vote to let Raven stay! The score is now two to..." Beast Boy counted on his fingers, "three." He sighed. "Okay, so we're still outnumbered, Rave."  
  
Parts of their uniform began flashing- Beast Boy's belt, Raven's brooch, Starfire's collar and gloves.  
  
"Let's go," Raven said, getting up and walking to the living room.  
  
Which was about five feet away. So, they were the first ones there.  
  
"How do I turn this thing off," Beast Boy said, poking at his flashing belt. "It's starting to make me dizzy."  
  
"Then take it off," Raven said. "It serves no practical purpose."  
  
Beast Boy stared at Raven, then shrugged and tossed the belt across the room. "I've never really liked it anyway."  
  
"Titans!" Robin said, running into the room with Cyborg behind him. "Slade attacked a local science lab and kidnapped one of their top scientists! We have to save him!"  
  
"Let us go, then!" Starfire cried, flying down the hallway. Raven started to follow, but Robin blocked her. "Sorry, but you can't go. You might get hurt."  
  
"If I don't help, many more people might get hurt."  
  
"Well," Robin said, looking down, "yeah, but you wouldn't be able to keep up with us anyway, since you can't fly. Right?"  
  
Beast Boy stood beside Raven. "I could fix that."  
  
"How?" Robin asked suspiciously.  
  
"Like this!" Beast Boy morphed into a horse. "Rave! Get on!"  
  
Raven pulled herself onto Beast Boy's back, and together they galloped down the hall, leaving a stunned Robin behind.  
  
***  
  
They arrived at the scene of the crime before any of the other Titans. Hey, Starfire might be a good flier, but Beast Boy can be one heckuva horse!  
  
The building was in ruins. The once twenty-story tower was now a two- block mess of broken concrete, twisted steel, and occasionally pools of chemicals or little piles of equipment. Undoubtedly, some were dangerous.  
  
"You start looking over there for hints on where they went," Raven said, pointing to the right, "and I'll start over here."  
  
"No prob," Beast Boy said, walking over to his assigned area. "If you need any help with lifting broken stuff, just let me know."  
  
"I will," Raven said, walking under two slabs of concrete precariously holding each other up.  
  
Beast Boy dug through the rubble, until he came to a framed diploma. He snorted. "Whatever," he mumbled, preparing to throw it over his shoulder, when he saw the name on it; "Dr. James Warp."  
  
***  
  
Raven picked up a broken vial, when she heard someone yell her name.  
  
"Hey! Raven!" Beast Boy called, climbing over a pile of concrete. "You'll never guess what I--AUGH!" Beast Boy slipped, falling off the pile and right on top of Raven. "Sorry," he said quickly, getting up.  
  
"I'm okay," Raven said. "I'm only in minor physical pain. What did you find?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, this!" Beast Boy said proudly, holding up the diploma. "Look, James WARP! This might be the guy! Or at least his dad or something."  
  
Raven took the frame. "Where did you find this?"  
  
"I'll show you," Beast Boy said, grabbing Raven's arm and pulling her across the rubble.  
  
"This is where it was!" Beast Boy said, pointing at the ground. Without explanation, Raven got down on her knees and began trying to lift a piece of concrete.  
  
"Lemme help," Beast Boy said, morphing into a gorilla, and he lifted the concrete easily and through it aside.  
  
"There's a desk," Raven said. "This must have been Dr. Warp's office."  
  
Raven squeezed herself between the slightly flattened desk and another piece of concrete and, using her legs, pushed it out so she could open the drawers.  
  
"Let's see what he was experimenting on," Raven said, pulling some papers out. Beast Boy got down beside her and opened another drawer.  
  
They flipped through papers awhile, before Beast Boy said, "Hey, look at this!" He handed Raven a blueprint for some kind of suit. "Doesn't that look like Warp's suit?"  
  
"It does," Raven confirmed, looking at the blueprint. She then glanced at the paper in her own hand. "And I think this is the guy Slade got."  
  
"Why's that?" Beast Boy asked, and looked at the paper Raven had. On it, it said "James Warp, Ph.D., Head Scientist." Dr. Warp was the most important man in the labs.  
  
"That's a pretty good guess," Beast Boy said, as Robin and the others arrived.  
  
||(-*-)||  
  
Well, how'd you like it? Of course, next chapter we'll be hunting down Slade. And, if you're wondering how Warp can be a scientist in the present if he's from a hundred years in the future, all that will be explained in a chapter or two.  
  
Well, that's the end of chapter 6. I'll post 7 as soon as possible.  
  
Ciao! 


	7. Horrified

Hello, one and all, and welcome to chapter 7!  
  
Brian, Warrior of Time: Minor difficulties? That's the understatement of the century!  
  
Tintedrose: I'm against all those fluff fics too. Fluff is okay, but not when that's what the whole fic is about. But you don't have to worry about Raven proclaiming instant love. She can't feel any right now. Thanks for your two reviews!  
  
Soon to be world renown Gracie: Eww... Well, when you get out of the hospital with your head back on, I hope you enjoy this chapter!  
  
RogueDragon5, Mily, Goolz, irken008 (go Zim!), rebekah, and Raven A. Star: Thanks for your reviews! I'm updating as fast as I can.  
  
A special thanks to High Mage Kaizen for beta-ing this fic. Thanketh thee, Sir Kaizen, mine ally and adversary! May insanity prevail!  
  
Now, onward, to ALL THAT JUNK!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own. If I did, this wouldn't be a fic. It'd be the stinkin' Teen Titans Movie!  
  
||(-*-)||  
  
"Beast Boy!" Robin said angrily. "What were you thinking, taking Raven out here like that? She could have been hurt!"  
  
"Well, she wasn't, was she?" Beast Boy challenged.  
  
"That's not the point!" Robin sighed. "Look, she has to stay safe. She can't battle in this condition. You can't just take her along everywhere."  
  
"He didn't take me along, I came on my own free will. If I had wanted to stay at Titan Tower, I could have chosen not to get on Beast Boy's back," Raven said. "Why are you talking about me like I'm an item? You take items places. People go on their own."  
  
Robin blushed. "Um, sorry Raven. I didn't mean to offend you."  
  
"What does offend mean?" Raven asked. "I was just asking a question."  
  
"What does offend mean?" Robin echoed, raising his eyebrows. "Well, it's, um... feeling insulted?"  
  
"What's insulted?"  
  
"Offence is a mental pain you get when someone insults you. When someone insults you they talk about you like your worth is actually lower than it really is," Beast Boy said.  
  
"My worth?"  
  
"Yeah. How valuable you are in the big picture." Raven nodded. "I see."  
  
Robin looked baffled. "Since when were you our psychology expert, BB?"  
  
"Since I became the only person who cared what happened to Raven," Beast Boy said, "and had to explain these things to her."  
  
Robin looked hurt. "I care what happens to Raven too, you know. She's my friend."  
  
"Then why do you want to send her away?!"  
  
Starfire, who had been quietly watching this exchange, somehow sensed that this conversation was going downhill. "Friends, have you found anything that might tell us who it was Slade wanted?"  
  
"This," Raven said, showing Starfire the paper she had been holding. "Dr. Warp is the head scientist. Slade would want him."  
  
Starfire took the paper. "You are right. So, how do we find this..." she looked closer at the name. "Warp? This is the time travel man?"  
  
"Well, not exactly," Beast Boy said. "We think this is maybe his granddad or something, but this Warp is working on time-travel junk too..."  
  
Starfire turned her back to Beast Boy. "I refuse to help the search for this awful man!" She stalked away.  
  
"Starfire's grudge may cause us some trouble," Robin said. Raven looked at Beast Boy. "'Grudge'?"  
  
"It's a one-person shun against someone who caused you physical or mental pain," Beast Boy said. "Girls usually have grudges."  
  
"Dang, BB, you really did get smart when I wasn't looking!" Cyborg walked up right in front of Beast Boy. "I ain't takin' my eyes off you again. Who knows, you might discover the cure for cancer or something if I look away."  
  
"And that would be a bad thing?" Beast Boy said, stepping back a couple of feet for personal space.  
  
"Well, no, but it'd sure creep me out!"  
  
"Creep out?" Raven asked.  
  
"Cold quick mental pain. Think getting hit in the head and back with a big, kinda hard snowball."  
  
"STOP DOIN' THAT!" Cyborg yelled.  
  
"Come on," Robin said. "We need to find out where Slade went."  
  
"Yeah, but how are we gonna do that?" Beast Boy said.  
  
The Titans heard a rumbling noise. Simultaneously, they turned to look at a giant slab of concrete, which was about to fall. On top of them.  
  
"MOVE!" Raven shoved them all under two pieces of concrete that were propping each other up. The other piece fell on top, but they were protected. Go Raven! (sorry, had to add that...)  
  
"Whoa..." Beast Boy said. "Raven, you just saved us! THANK YOU!" Beast Boy grabbed Raven in a crushing hug. "I OWE YOU MY LIFE!!"  
  
"I was just trying to keep us all alive..." she squeaked out. "Why are you attacking me?"  
  
"Attacking?" Beast Boy said, then realized he was still hugging Raven. "Oh, sorry."  
  
Cyborg cracked up. "Did you hear that, BB? ATTACKING! She thought you were attacking her! And it sure looked like it!"  
  
Beast Boy glared at Cyborg. "I recommend you stop laughing. I've still got a hug in me!"  
  
Cyborg bit his lip and tried not to smile. Well, tried to.  
  
"You didn't answer my question," Raven said.  
  
Beast Boy blushed. "Um, well, I wasn't attacking you... people sometimes hug when they're really happy. And if they get too excited, they can hug a little too hard..."  
  
"People also hug when they're in love!" Starfire said happily. Beast Boy's blush deepened.  
  
"Love?" Raven asked.  
  
'Why, oh why, did she have to ask that right NOW?!' Beast Boy pled whatever higher being there be. Asking that right after Beast Boy had hugged her... even if he didn't mean anything by it... "Love is like happiness, except bigger... it takes two people to be in love... and it's like you're perpetually happy, and you're happy whenever you think of the person you're in love with."  
  
"So, love is a really good thing?" Raven asked.  
  
"Well, yeah."  
  
Raven thought a moment. "How do you make love?"  
  
The other Titans' eyes bugged out. "WHAT?!"  
  
"You know. Make love. Create it. How do you create love?"  
  
"Oh, that's what you meant." Now Beast Boy was really blushing. "Um... it just kinda... happens."  
  
"Hey, look at this!" Robin said. He had climbed out of their little concrete tent of sorts and was near the spot the slab of fallen concrete had originally stood. "There's some kind of tunnel here! Slade must have escaped this way." He waved the other Titans over. "Come on!" He started running down the tunnel.  
  
Beast Boy morphed into a tiger, caught up with Robin, and morphed back. "Dude, THANK you for finding this!! It kept me from having to answer some awkward questions."  
  
"Um, you're welcome?" Robin said. Beast Boy morphed back into a tiger and ran ahead.  
  
"Hope he don't run into trouble," Cyborg said. "You know, creepy guards popping out at him..."  
  
All of a sudden, seven creepy guards popped out of the walls. Surprise, surprise. Three grabbed Cyborg, Starfire, and Robin. The other four surrounded Raven.  
  
"RAVEN!" Starfire screamed. "HELP!"  
  
"Help," Raven repeated. Survival instincts kicked in. These people were the predators, she was the prey. Raven had to stop them no matter what the cost. When an animal is attacked, it doesn't knock the enemy down and leave. It makes sure the enemy will never stand up again.  
  
Raven reached down and picked up a jagged piece of metal. Some of the debris from the building's explosion had made it down into the tunnel. This piece was sharp enough to draw blood. As the guards attacked, she raised the metal.  
  
***  
  
"What's taking the others so long?" Beast Boy wondered. He had stopped running a little bit ago and was waiting for the others to show up. "Maybe I should go back and make sure they're okay..."  
  
He heard footsteps, and Raven rounded the corner, her cloak covering her body. She immediately started asking questions. "What does this expression mean?" She imitated a face expression.  
  
"That?" Beast Boy looked closer. "That expression means you're horrified."  
  
Raven let her face relax. "What does horrified mean?"  
  
"It's... a mental pain. It's being shocked and spooked at the same time, except it lasts a lot longer, and you're hit with the cold all over your body, instead of just your head and back."  
  
"It's a mental pain?" Raven repeated.  
  
"One of the worst."  
  
"Oh." Raven was quiet for a moment. "Then I guess I should apologize to Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg. I think I horrified them."  
  
Beast Boy couldn't help but smile at the matter-of-fact way she said this. "How'd you do that?"  
  
Raven shrugged. "I was just protecting us." Beast Boy's smile dropped. When Raven had shrugged, her cloak had lifted a bit. In her right hand was a piece of metal. The metal, her hand, and most of her arm was covered in blood.  
  
||(-*-)||  
  
Yee. So, there it is, chapter 7, in all its gory glory. I didn't want it to be too graphic; it's only a PG, y'know... which is kinda disappointing. I like describing mutilation. I'm kinda weird, in that way...  
  
Anyway, chapter 8, comin' soon to a computer near you! Quite possibly, the very one you're sitting in front of. Yes, I know you're sitting in front of a computer. And I know what you're doing... READING! Gee, am I smart or what?  
  
Do you know what you're about to do? Type. You're about to type a review and submit it. So fulfill the prophecy! Read! Review! SUBMIT!!  
  
~ckret2 


	8. Closing In

Hello, and welcome to chapter 8!  
  
Shuriken: Yeah, I know it's kind of weird that Starfire got what was wrong on the first guess, but I was lazy and wanted to move the plot along quicker. It isn't that Raven lost the memory of her emotions, she can't feel them. When you think of the word "happy," you kind of picture times you were happy or things that make you happy. You just understand the emotion without words. Raven can't picture things that make her happy because nothing makes her happy. Someone has to teach her a word definition so she can understand happy in a new way. And, I know physical pain isn't an emotion. That's why Beast Boy is comparing emotions to physical pains for Raven to understand them. I guess I didn't make this clear, but the blood on Raven's hand and arm wasn't hers. It was from the guards. The point I was trying to make was that Raven had just murdered, not wounded but murdered, those guards in cold blood. Thanks for pointing those things out though.  
  
Woodelf193: No, she doesn't. Beast Boy's having a heckuva time with her, isn't he?  
  
TsukasaSIGN: Yeah, I hate cliffies too. But if I didn't make cliffies, who's to say anyone'd come back later?  
  
Possesed Angel: Yep. She sure is. BTW, cool name!  
  
Mars: Don't worry, your first review wasn't a flamer. What you did was constructive criticism, and thank you for that. I was just trying to get through chapter 1 so I could get to the actually interesting bit.  
  
High Mage Kaizen: No, thank YOU for beta-ing! Hope you liked my advice on Crimson Shower, Scarlet Rain. And thanks for beta-ing again.  
  
Chocolate covered Videl: Glad you like, and update I will.  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own anything. 'Cept the plot. I own that. yee!  
  
(--)  
  
"R-raven!" Beast Boy gasped, grabbing her hand and pulling it up. "What happened to you?!"  
  
"Nothing happened to me," Raven said evenly. "I stopped four guards from hurting me, and stopped three more from hurting Starfire, Cyborg, and Robin. I am uninjured, and I think they are too."  
  
"Stopped them?" Beast Boy echoed. "Stopped them how?"  
  
"I stabbed one in the chest with this metal, I stabbed the second one in the stomach but he kept moving so I cut his jugular..."  
  
"Enough!" Beast Boy said. "I don't want to hear any more. I get the picture. You killed them."  
  
"Yes," Raven said.  
  
Beast Boy shuddered at all the blood on Raven's hand. He let it drop.  
  
"Are you cold?" Raven asked. "You shivered."  
  
"Yeah..." Beast Boy said slowly. "I think I am cold."  
  
"Would you like to borrow my cloak? I'm not cold."  
  
Beast Boy looked at the blood on Raven's cloak and shook his head wildly. "NO! I mean... no. It's not that kind of cold."  
  
"Are you creeped out?"  
  
Beast Boy looked at Raven. "Yeah... kinda... no."  
  
"Horrified?"  
  
Beast Boy nodded slowly. "Yeah... how'd you figure that out?"  
  
"You told me what horrified means."  
  
There were slow footsteps around the corner. Raven and Beast Boy whirled around, Raven raising her metal shard defensively.  
  
"No, let me take care of this," Beast Boy commanded, stepping in front.  
  
The footsteps came closer, and around the corner came... Robin.  
  
Beast Boy relaxed, and stepped forward. "Robin! What a relief! I thought you were someone else."  
  
"Yeah, well..." Robin cleared his throat. "I think Raven took care of that." He opened his mouth to say something more, but never got the chance to.  
  
"We should go," Raven said, starting to walk. "Slade is getting farther ahead."  
  
"Right," Beast Boy said, following, Robin right behind him.  
  
They walked in silence a few minutes, following Raven, before Robin spoke to Beast Boy again.  
  
"Do you know what Raven did back there?" Robin whispered.  
  
"Kill the guards? Yeah," Beast Boy whispered back. "But she did it to protect you, right?"  
  
"That's not all I'm concerned about," Robin said ominously. "It's the fact that after she had killed three and the others started running away, she caught them and killed them too." Beast Boy's eyes widened.  
  
"She's dangerous like this," Robin said. "You know it as well as I do. And you don't know how to help her."  
  
"That's not true! I have a plan!" Beast Boy protested. "At least, I think I do."  
  
"How good is it? Are you sure it'll work?" Robin demanded. "I think we should just go ahead and send her some place she can get help."  
  
"What?? NO!" Beast Boy said angrily. Raven stopped walking and turned around.  
  
"Is there something wrong?" she asked. She seemed to be asking that a lot lately. For a person who didn't care about other people...  
  
"No, keep going," Beast Boy said. "We're just talking."  
  
"Okay," Raven said, turning and leading the way again.  
  
"Man, she's like Ella Enchanted, isn't she?" Beast Boy commented.  
  
"Don't change the subject!" Robin said. "Listen, you can't help her on your own."  
  
"Yes I can," Beast Boy growled. "You're just trying to get her to go away because you're— you're— scared of her!"  
  
Robin glared at Beast Boy. "I'm not scared of Raven. Why would I be?"  
  
"Because she just killed seven people, can't feel, doesn't understand half the things we're saying and says things we can't understand, and she has that creepy look in her eye," Beast Boy listed, counting off the reasons on his fingers. "Look, if I think I can help her and you think I can't, maybe we should get an objective opinion?"  
  
Beast Boy looked forward. "What do you think, Rave?"  
  
"Beast Boy seems capable of helping me get my emotions back if he wants to," Raven said. Robin's jaw dropped.  
  
"She was LISTENING?!" Robin asked.  
  
"Yeah," Beast Boy said. "We were yelling half the time."  
  
"Well, her opinion isn't exactly objective, is it?" Robin said, changing the subject. "She has something to gain by letting you help her."  
  
"You think she wants emotions?" Beast Boy said. "All she wants is to survive. I said before, she's running on animal emotions, and that's all they want. They don't want emotions or anything like that. Just to survive and help the group they're with survive, if they're in a group. And, believe it or not, Raven was helping you earlier, when she freed you and Star and Cyborg..." Beast Boy stopped. "Where are they, anyway?"  
  
"Starfire got freaked out, so Cyborg is taking her back to Titan Tower to rest a little," Robin explained.  
  
"Look in there," Raven said. She'd reached a door, and was holding it open. Light poured out of it. Robin and Beast Boy carefully looked through.  
  
It opened into a glass elevator. They stepped inside and closed the door behind them. "Weird," Beast Boy said. "An elevator with a normal door."  
  
Looking through the walls, they saw Slade down below them. A young man was tied in a chair, a wild, frightened look in his eyes. Beast Boy noticed Robin's hands clench into fists.  
  
"What did he ever do to Slade?" Robin muttered. "He doesn't deserve to be trapped like that."  
  
"Then we should get him out of here," Raven said. Robin looked at Raven like that was the first thing she'd said since she lost her emotions that made sense to him.  
  
Down below, Slade had obviously spoken to the tied-up man, because he focused his eyes on Slade. A few seconds later, he shook his head vigorously. Slade was not pleased. He stepped forward and whacked the man with the back of his hand, hard enough to make the chair topple.  
  
"That JERK!" Robin screamed, punching the wall beside him in frustration. Unfortunately, he had punched the control panel, crushing it with his fist.  
  
The elevator, with the three Titans still inside, went into a free-fall.  
  
(--)  
  
So, there ya have it, chapter 8! I know, nothing happened and I ended in a cliffie, but next chapter the Titans get to battle Slade and free James Warp. 


End file.
